The NFC North is one of the league's most competitive divisions, leaving each fan base more than happy to laugh at the others' misfortunes. The Detroit Lions know this feeling well, as they faced scrutiny from their rivals after hiring offensive coordinator Drew Petzing last week.
Even if his hiring wasn't the sexiest of the offseason, the Lions' addition of Petzing has actually improved with time. All signs point to the former Arizona Cardinals assistant being able to get the most from Detroit's plethora of playmakers, and Mike Kafka's addition to the offensive staff only helps head coach Dan Campbell's unit look even better.
And while the Lions are riding their positive momentum into the NFL offseason's next stages, one of their NFC North rival's outlook is trending in the opposite direction.
Lions Can Celebrate Vikings Losing Brian Angelichio
On Tuesday night, Pittsburgh Steelers insider Mark Kaboly reported that "Vikings passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Brian Angelichio is close to agreeing on a deal that would make him the offensive coordinator" in the Steel City. Kaboly added that the hiring "could be official as early as Wednesday."
The Lions know what it feels like to lose key coaches, having seen coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn leave for head coaching jobs last offseason. Now, the Vikings are set to lose Angelichio, who was key to the team's aerial attack planning and tight end development since the 2022 campaign.
It'd be one thing if Angelichio were the only coach leaving Minnesota this offseason, but that isn't the case. In fact, according to Vikings Territory's Dustin Baker, the Lions' rival has lost the following six coaches since the start of the offseason, whether they left for new jobs or retired:
- Brian Angelichio (offensive passing game)
- Marcus Dixon (defensive line)
- Michael Hutchings (safeties)
- Daronte Jones (defensive passing game)
- Chris Kuper (offensive line)
- Mike Pettine (assistant head coach)
No matter how you slice it, losing six assistants in a month is never ideal for a coach, making it interesting to see how Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell will (or won't) bounce back. Of course, Detroit won't complain if it takes O'Connell more than the offseason to figure things out after finishing behind Minnesota in the divisional race last season.
The Vikings now continue their offseason with a new unnecessary distraction, needing to replace a beloved coach. Meanwhile, the Lions can breathe easier, knowing their offensive outlook is already more promising than it was with former OC John Morton.
Hopefully, Detroit's front office can capitalize on its recent momentum, leading to more progress when free agency opens next month. It's the type of next step the Lions need to take if they want to leapfrog the Vikings before shifting their focus to how to pass the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears next.